"I was not joking, my child. I have been trying ever since I came down here to make you children see reason, and I will not be trifled with any longer... Now, tell me what you know..." and with these last words she suddenly swung the door open and grabbed at Penny in the hope of dragging her into the hall. But Penny was just too quick; as the arm shot out to catch her she ducked and pushed hard on the door, stepping back into the room at the same time. Then Dickie snouted and rushed forward. Mary switched on the torch and Macbeth once again dashed into the fray. Penny cried out with pain as something scratched her face, and then the door was slammed and locked once again.

"I said it was a trick!" Mary said indignantly. Then, "Oh, Penny, darling - you're bleeding. What did she do to you?"

Penny dabbed with a dirty handkerchief.

"Must have been her nails, I s'pose. She tried to get me out into the hall."

"She'd have tortured you," said Dickie solemnly; "that's what she'd have done. Gosh! What an awful adventure we're having!"

So they settled down again with Penny between the twins and Macbeth with his head on Mary's legs. Penny felt that they should save the torch battery, so they sat in darkness. There did not seem anything else to do, for although she knew very definitely that they were prisoners, she was equally certain that Jon would come and rescue them. For a time none of them spoke.

The noise of the storm was deafening. The house was shaking, soot was falling down the chimney and the floor trembled as the mighty waves pounded against the bank outside.

After a time Mary began to sing. She had a clear little voice which, for some reason which Penny could not explain, made her feel very choky. Dickie and Penny joined in. They had to sing very loudly above the noise of the storm, and it was when Mary had switched to the nursery relic which began "I had a little nut tree, and nothing would it bear, save a silver nutmeg and a golden pear," when her voice suddenly quavered and died away.

"What is it, Mary?" Penny shouted. "What's wrong?"

She felt Mary's cold little hand on her shoulder and bent her head to catch her shocked cry.

"Penny! The floor's all wet over my side. I've got my hand in water... Penny! Come and feel it."

They were sitting on cushions, but as soon as Penny leaned across and flashed on the torch, Dickie yelled:

"It's this side, too! We're being flooded out!"